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Volvo's A/C OFF switch [ALL/1998] posted by mark barron on
Monday, 16 June 1997, at 9:29 a.m.
The A/C switch toggles horiizontally . Above it is printed "AC" in the middle and "OFF" on the right. Above the left side of the switch is an LED . Whenever I show the 1993 Volvo 850 to friends, I am like a little kid about the A/C switch my standard line of patter goes: --- "See that switch, you probably think that that is an Air Conditioner switch, but you are oh so wrong. That is an AirConditioner OFF switch. If you push the A/C OFF switch here on the left, the light comes on to indicate that the AC OFF switch is ON and consequently that the AirConditioning is OFF. If you push the right side (the side labelled OFF) so that the light goes off and the AC OFF switch if now OFF, the A/C is of course now ON ! " Does this insane approach to labelling of the A/C switch appear in other VOLVOs or did a mechanic remove and incorrectly rewire my switch? It would be slightly less insane to label the switch this way for a car manufactured in say , Cairo, rather than northern europe. Mark
Re: Volvo's A/C OFF switch [ALL/1998] posted by abe crombie on
Monday, 16 June 1997, at 11:12 a.m.
The air conditioner compressor and recirculate switches have a purpose in being configured "backwards". It is a proven fact that dehumidified air (passed through an operating evaporator) will contribute to a decreased chance of drowsiness and fatigue. The A/C button is thus configured to be benign when on and to nag you with an indicator glowing to convince you to turn it on let the sytem run the compressor until the rferigerant pressure falls too low and will not close the cycling switch (42-44 psi which occurs @ 41-45 F). The recirculate switch is similarly configured to nag you when you leave it on as this again is a safety consideration. Leaving recirc. on causes MUCH increased likelihood of developing odors from the A/C case due to the evaporator not drying when car is parked. Recirc. also causes the windows to fog more readily as the recirculated air is more humid (especially on cool, damp, rainy days). So VOLVO knows what is good for you, sit up straight, eat all your vegetables, and don't forget to floss in all those hard to reach places.
Re: Volvo's A/C OFF switch [ALL/1998] posted by Shatz on
Tuesday, 17 June 1997, at 3:35 p.m.
Yep, that drove me nuts for the first few months in my 960. I've not heard Abe's explanation before; but i finally concluded thatsince it is an automatice temperature system, it can heat and cool with the AC on, thus the default position with light off. You must purposefully disengage the system, and the light tells you it is not functioning.
The Recylce is opposite; that is it goes on when recycle is in effect and when the AC is on (light now off). As Abe pointed out recylce has always been noted as unhealthy in the Volvo, at least it was so stated in my '80 245 manual.